Sheet feeding apparatus



Dec. 31, 1940.

E. J. YEO 2,226,957

SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 5, 1939 '4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR EDWARD J. YEO

INVENTOR EDWARD J. YEO

axwm ATTORNXQ 4 Sheets-Sheet 2' E. J. YEO

Filed Nov. 3, 1959 SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Sim? n 5T Dec. 31, 1940.

Dec. E. J. YEO

SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 5, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 31, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcs SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS Edward J. .Yeo, Pearl River, N. Y assignor to Dexter Folder Company, Pearl River, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 3, 1939, Serial No. 302,647

20 Claims.

ment in either sheet by sheet feeders or stream eeders and one object of said invention is to provide an improved sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting mechanism applicable to both of said types of feeders and which, through novel association with and operation by side registering mechanism, is automatically timed thereby.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved-sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting mechanism for sheet feederswhich, through novel association with and operation by side registering mechanism, requires no separate timing and therefore enables the feeder to be more quickly timed with, and set into op- 'eration relative to, the printing press orother sheet fed machine with which the feeder is as-,

sociated.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of controlling the results or effects of sheet calipering or detecting operations by and during performance of sheet registering operations.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting mechanism for sheet feeders which is so constructed and arranged as to enable previously employed separate timing and operating means to be eliminated with resulting decreased manufacturing and maintenance costs of the feeder.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved calipering or excess sheet 40 detecting mechanism associated with side registering mechanism in a manner such that 'the calipering or detecting operation as well as the side registering operation may be performed on the front or leading sheet of a stream of lapped sheets simultaneously and without the necessity of having to separately time the two operations.

These andother objects of the present invention will appear from the following description and in order to more clearly understand said invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

In said drawings: Fig. l; is an enlarged side elevation of the front portion of a stream feeder illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 7 and embodying sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting mechanism constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the feeder structure and sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting mechanism shown inFig. 1;

Fig.3 is an enlarged rear elevation of the sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, showing the parts in 10 their normal positions when calipering a single sheet;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view ofthe sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting mechanism shown in Fig. 3;

Fig.5 .is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the parts of the sheet calipering or excess sheet detectingv mechanism in their non-calipering positions;

Fig. 6' is a'vertical longitudinal sectional view 30 of the sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting mechanism shown in Figs. 3,4 and 5;

Figs! is a diagrammatic side elevation of astream feeder embodying sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting mechanism constructed and 25 arranged in accordance with the present inven tion; and r Fig. 8 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing parts of sheet caliper or detector controlled feeder stopping and press tripping mech- 3 anism.

Referring to the drawings, and more particu larly to Fig. 7, sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting mechanism constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention is 5 therein shown applied to a stream feeder, that is, a feeder in which the sheets are separated and forwarded relative to a supply thereof and conveyed slowly in lapped relation to a printing press or other sheet fed machine which takes the sheets 40 successively from the front of the stream and prints or performs some other operation thereon.

A stream feeder illustrated diagrammatically in 7 is of well known construction and op: eration and needs no detail description herein. 5 It may be' pointed out, however, that the sheets 5 are arranged in a. pile 6 supported on an eleva-, tor I that acts to raise the pile intermittently and thereby keep the top thereof at a predetermined elevation for the action of rearwardly disposed 5o suction type sheet separating and forwarding means'8 and- 9 that separate and forward the sheets relative to-the pile.

In the type of stream .feeder shown in Fig. 'l the sheet separatingmeans 8 engages the rear 55 edges of the sheets in succession and lifts or separates them in like manner from the pile,

and the sheet forwarding means 9 engages sepstream of the separated and forwarded sheets in lapped relation along a feed board IS. The feed board l3 (Figs. 1, 2, 'I and 8) is supported in any suitable manner 011' frames ll disposed rearwardly of the printing press or other sheet fed machine with which the feeder is associated. The tapes II, which as previously stated, pass over and are driven slowly by the feed roller It, also pass over the feed board 13 and an idler roller I! (Fig. 2) located at the front of said board and journalied thereon in any suitable manner.

As will appear from the foregoing, a stream of lapped sheets is advanced along the feed board l3 with the leading sheet uppermost. In this way, the tail of each sheet is disposed or lapped over the head of the next succeeding sheet and each'sheet as itarrives at the front of the feed board and in proximity to the printing press or other sheet. fed machine may thus be readily front and side registered with respect to the printing or other work performing elements of said machine. Accordingly, if the machine to be fed is a printing press, as shown diagrammatically herein, the front stops l3 thereof (Fig. '7) will be operated in synchronism with the feed of the sheets and the action of the press so .as to be engaged with the leading edge of the front sheet upon its arrival at the forward end of the feed board l3. The front stops I 6 preferably swing up and down through slots formed on the forward edge of a plate It secured in any suitable manner on the front of the feed board l3. After being front registered by the stops lland calipered and side registered as hereinafter described, the stops lt'move downwardly and the sheet is seized along its front edge by grippers l1 mounted on a cylinder ll of the press and acting in conjunction with said cylinder to carry the sheet into the press for performance thereby of the printing operation upon the sheet and delivery thereof from the press in the usual manner.

As will appear from the foregoing, each sheet upon arrival at the front stops is front registered thereby whereupon the sheet is then side registered. These front and side registering operations arev well understood in the art and are for the purpose of front and side registering the sheet with respect to the printing or other work performing elements of the press or other machine with which the feeder is associated. In accordance with-the present invention sheet calipering or excesssheet detecting means is employed which is in calipering or detecting position during sidewise movement of the sheet incident to performance of the side registerin operation. Further, and in accordance with the present invention, calipering or detecting motion of the sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting means is derived from the side registering mechanism. It is therefore preferable to proceed first with description of a side registering mechanism which, as herein shown. is of known construction and operated and arranged as follows. 5 Motion of the side registering mechanism is derived from a vertical shaft [9 (Figs. 1 and 2) which is driven from any suitable source of power and has its upper end Journalled on and projecting in a gear housing 20 that is bolted 10 or otherwise suitably secured to one of the frames II. The shaft is has fixed on its upper end within the housing 20 a bevel gear 2| which meshes with and drives a similar gear 22 also located in said housing and fixed on a shaft 23 15 extending therethrough and Journalled in suitable bearings thereon. This shaft 23 has a universal connection 24 with a short shaft 25 that extends within and is Joumalled in any suitable manner on a second gear housing 26 bolted or 20 otherwise suitably secured on the adjacent frame ll forwardly of and in spaced relation with the housing 23. Fixed on the shaft 25 within the housing 23 is a bevel pinion 21 which meshes with and drives a bevel gear 28 which is also 2 located within said housing and Journailed on a stud 2! extending in the housing and secured thereto in any suitable-manner. The bevel gear 23 has secured thereto or formed integrally therewith a spur pinion 30 located in the housing 28 and meshing with and driving a spur gear 3| also located in said housing. The spur gear 3| is fixed on and drives a cam shaft 32 extending transversely of the feeder into the housing 26 and journalled in any suitable manner 0 the frames ll.

The shaft 32 has fixed thereon and rotated thereby a cam 33 (Fig. 2) with which is engaged a cam roller 34 journalled on' one arm 35 of a lever 35 (Fig. 1) the other arm of whichis indicated at 31. This lever 36 is pivoted at 38 on a bracket 39 mounted on a stay shaft 40 and bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the feed board l3 at the underside thereof. The lever 36 has pivotally connected therewith one end of a spring pressed rod 41 the opposite end of which is slidably mounted in a suitable opening formed in the forward end of bracket 39. It will thus appear that arm 38 is cam operated in one direction and spring operated in the opposite direction by the cam 33 and the rod II, respectively.

The arm 31 of lever 36 has pivotally connected therewith as by a ball and socket connection 42, one end of a rod l3 which is-reciprocated by said lever and has its opposite end pivotally connected, as at M, with one arm 45 of a bell crank lever 40 (Fig. 2). The lever 46 is pivoted at 4'! on a circular bracket 48 that'is bolted or otherwise suitably secured on the feed board [3 forwardly and at the underside thereof. The other arm 49 of bell crank lever 46 has pivotally connected therewith one end of a link 50 the opposite end of which is pivotally connected with a bar 5| extending transversely of the feed board at the front thereof and slidably mounted in a suitable channel 52 (Figs. 1 and 6) formed or secured in the board and likewise extending transversely thereof. a

The top of the bar 5| is flush with the top of the feed board l3 and, as shown in Fig. 6, said bar is bevelled along its rear top edge, as at 53, in order to insure that the sheets will not be obstructed by the bar as they move thereover on the feed board l3. The bar 5| through the described connections therefor with the reciproare secured to or formed integrally with a bracket 56 that rests on the top of bar 6|. This bracket -56 has a vertical reduced portion 61 and an enlarged top or upper portion 58. The bracket 56 may have sliding movement along the bar 5| to properv operative position where said bracket is then secured to said bar by a clamp screw 59. The clamp screw 59 is 'journalled in the upper portion 58 of bracket 56 and has threaded engagement in a suitable opening in said bracket so that the latter can be clamped to bar 5| by said screw. The clamp screw 69 is provided at its upper end above bracket portion 58 with a knurled operating head 66 upon turning of which in the proper direction, bracket 56 may beunclamped from or clamped to bar 5| for adjustment and clamping purposes relative thereto. i

The side registering mechanism is of the gripper type and includes a lower reciprocating jaw 6| (Figs. 3 and 5), an upper reciprocating jaw 62 movable toward and away from the lower jaw, and a stationary side registering plate 63 having an opening 64 (Fig. 6) therein through which jaws 6| and 62 are reciprocated. Jaws 6| and 62 first grip a sheet fed therebetween to the front stops I6 by tapes l2, then draw the sheet sidewise into engagement with plate 63 to side register the sheet, and thereafter release said'sheet for seizing thereof by grippers l1 and carrying of the sheet into the printing press by said grippers and the cylinder l8. The lower gripper jaw 6| comprises a thin elongated steel strip or the like disposed on bar 5| and having an outer end extending between the bar and the bracket 56 and bent upwardly and secured to said bracket by a set screw 65. As shown in Figs. 3, 5 and'6,

the rear edge of jaw 6| is bent or turned .downwardly as at 66, in general conformity with the rear bevelled edge 53 of bar 5|,-to prevent obstruction to forword movement of the sheets 5 over said jaw 6| as the sheets are fed -forwardly to stops l6 by tapes l2.

The upper gripper jaw 62. comprises thin vertlcally disposedelongated sheet gripping plates arranged at opposite sides-of the inner end of a lever 61 and pivotally connected therewith as by a spring biased pin 68. The lever 61 is also reciprocated through opening 64 of side registering -plate 63, and said lever is pivotally mounted at 69 on the reduced vertical portion 51o! the bracket 56 at the rear thereof. The s ring"! of pin 68 yieldably engages the plates of jaw 62 with lever 61 while at the same time providing for nut 15 threaded on the upper end of a screw 16 which passes through said spring. The screw 16 also passes through a suitable opening in lever 61 and has threaded engagement with a suitable opening formed in a lug 11 of bracket 56. It will therefore appear that pressure between jaws 6|, 62 produced by spring 13 may be varied by the adjusting nut 15.

Raising and lowering movement of jaw 62 relative to jaw 6| during reciprocation of said jaws by bar 5| is obtained in the following manner and by the following described means. 4 Pivotally connected as at .18 with the outer endof lever 61 is a toggle link 19 which, in turn, is pivotally connected by 'a pin with toggle links 8| (Figs. 3, 4 and 5) -The toggle links 8|, in turn, are

pivotallyconnected as at 82 with a lug 83 formed on the upper portion 58 of bracket 56. Disposed adjacent the reciprocating bracket 56 is a stationary bracket 84; This bracket 84 is mounted on and adjustable along a plate 85 (Figs. 2, 4 and 6) to proper position relative to the reciprocating' bracket 56. The plate 85 extends transversely of the feed board |3 at the front thereof and is secured therein in any suitable manner such that the top of the plate will be in substantially A the. same plane as that of the top of the feed board.- Plate 85 is provided longitudinally thereof with spaced threaded openings 86 (Fig. 2) and when bracket 84 has been properly adjusted relative to reciprocating bracket 56, said bracket 84 is secured in fixed position on saidplate by a 4 clamp screw 81. This clamp screw 81 is rotatably mounted in an elongated vertical-slot 88 of bracket 84 and is threaded into the proper'one of the series of openings 86. The screw 81 is provided with a knurled operating head 89 and through the provision of slot 88 bracket 84 may be adjustedwithin limits along plate 85 without havingto remove screw 81 from bracket 84 and the threaded opening of plate 85 I with which said screw is engaged.

Bracket 84 is provided at the outer end'thereof with a vertical lug 90 having secured therein and projecting rearwardly therefrom i'n alinement' with toggle .pivot pin 86, a'toggle straightdownwardly into the path of travel of the toggle pivot pin 86 which, as clearly shown in Fig. 4,

projects forwardly fromthe toggle comprised by links 19 and 8|. I

The side registering plate 63 is secured, as by nuts 94, on a guide pin .and an adjusting screw 96, there being a plate stifiening block 91 interposed between nuts 94 and said plate. The guide. pin '95 and the adjusting'screw 96 pass through suitable openings in, and are supported by, a lug" 98 formed on and extending vertically from the,

bracket 84. Threaded on adjusting-screw at opposite sides of lug 98 are adjustingand locking nuts 99 by means of which the side register plate 68 may be adjusted laterally to, and locked in, proper side registering position.

Assuming now that the reciprocating bracket results from toggle pin 88 striking the bent endv 98 of toggle breaking pin 92. This occurs as the bracket 56 and jaws 6|, 62 move inwardly, and immediately upon breaking of the toggle 19, 8|

in this manner, the spring 13 forces jaw 62 down into engagement with the front registered sheet which is then gripped between said jaw and the jaw The bracket 00 and jaws 0I, 02 then move outi wardly drawing the sheet sidewlse until its side edge engages plate 02. The sheet is thus side registered, at which time the jaws 0|, 02 slide on the sheet through continued outward movement thereof with the bracket 00. The toggle comprised by links and N then strikes the toggle straightening pin 0|, thereby straightening said toggle and raising jaw 02 relative to jaw 0| against the tension of spring 12. The jaws GI, 02 are thus opened whereupon they move inwardly with the bracket 00 to engage the next front registered sheet and move it sidewise from rest to side register it, as previously described.

In accordance with the present invention sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting means is provided which is in calipering or detecting position with relation to a sheet while it is being moved sidewise to be side registered. Further. and in accordance with the present invention, calipering or detecting motion of parts of the sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting mechanism is derived from moving parts of the side register mechanism. Accordingly, in the embodiment of the invention herein shown, thereciprocating bracket 50 has secured thereto and reciprocating therewith a plate I00 '(Figs. 3, 4 and 5). This plate I00 is located forwardly of bracket 56 and secured to the top portion 00 thereof as by set screws II". The plate I00 extends horizontally and inwardly from bracket 00 and is provided on its inner end and upper edge with a slot I02. An inner shoulder I02 and an outer shoulder I 00 define the length of the slot I02 and are formed adjacent thereto on the plate I00. Extendingintheslot I02 isapin I05 thatissecured to and projects rearwardly from a cam I00. This cam I00 is pivoted, as at I01, on the bracket 00 adjacent the lug 00 thereof. Cam I00 en-,

gages a roller I00 journalled on the inner end of an arm I00 which is pivoted, as at III, on the bracket 00. The arm I00 [is provided thereon with a pin III on which is rotatably mounted a sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting element or wheel H2. The axisof rotation of wheel 2 extends in the direction of feed of the sheets along board I2 and the wheel H2 is provided circumferentially and rearwardly thereof with an arcuate shaped weighted portion II2 by which said wheel is normally weight biased against rotation.

The inner end of the bracket 00 has pivotally connected therewith, as at ill, a rod III which extends upwardly through a suitable opening in the inner end of the pivoted arm I02. Mounted on the rod III aboife the arm I00 is a spring 0. The lower end of the spring I I0 bears against the arm I09 and the upper end of said spring bears against an adjusting nut III threaded on the upper end of the rod 0. The spring IIO normally tends to engage the roller I00 with the cam I00, such engagement, however, being regulated by an adjusting screw I I0 threaded through a suitable opening in the innerend of arm I 00 and the inner end of bracket 00. The adjusting screw I I8 extends upwardly through and is threaded in a sleeve II! supported on the inner end of lever I09 and provided with an operating head l20for locking the screw III! in adjusted position. The screw H8 is provided with an operating head I2I for adjusting said screw relative to the sleeve I I0,

0 u the arm I00 and the inner end of bracket u. The

assess-z sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting element I I2 is raised and lowered, as presently described. to caliper or detect the sheets. The downward movement of element H2 is so regulated that at the limit thereof a space will be left between said 5 element and the bar 0| equal only to the thickness of a single sheet. This space may be regulated as desired, in accordance with variations in thickness of single sheets handled in the machine, by the adjusting screw 0.

he s eet callperins or excess sheet detecting. element I I2 has fixed thereon andprojecting forwardly therefrom a pin I22 with which is engaged the forked end of one arm I22 9. bell crank I20 the other arm of which is indica d at I25. This bell crank I is pivoted, as at I20, on a vertically extending lug I21 of bracket 00 so as to swin transversely of the direction of feedof the sheets about an axis extending in said direction.

The bell crank arm I20 has secured to or formed integrally therewith at its upper end an arcuate shaped weighted abutment I20 which is normally weight biased to the full line position thereof shown in Fig. 3 to enable rocking movement past the same of raising and lowering sheet feeder and printing press control means herein shown as comprises by a detent I20. This detent I20 is operated at right angles to the reciprocating jaws 0|, 02 and is preferably in the form of a machine screw threaded through a suitable opening in the rear end of onearm I2I of a bell crank lever I22 the other arm of which is indicated at I22. The upper end of detent I20 is provided with an adjusting head I20 and a lock nut I20 by means of which said detent can be adjusted vertically on arm I2I to various positions and locked in any of the same. The bell crank lever I22 is loosely mounted on a shaft I20 between. the forked apertured rear extremity of a tie link I21 through which said shaft'extends 4o transversely of the direction of feed of sheets along board I2. A forward forked, apertured extremity of tie link I" has extending therethrough a rock shaft I20 disposed in spaced parallel rela- -tion with the shaft I20. The rock shaft I20 is journalled. in any suitable manner in brackets I29 in which the shaft I20 as well as parallel shafts I00 and I are mounted. Thebrackets I20 are bolted or otherwise suitably secured on the forward ends of frame members I02 the rear ends of which are bolted or otherwise suitably secured on arms I02 fixed on opposite ends of a cross shaft I00 journalled in suitable bearings in brackets I00 that are bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the feed board I2 near the rear thereof. It will thus appear that the brackets I20 and parts carried'thereby may be swung up with the frame members I02 relative to the feed board I2 about the axis provided by the cross rod-I00.

The rock shaft I20 has keyed thereon between the forward forked extremity of tie link I21 an arm I00. This arm I00 has pivotally connected therewith one end of a link I01 the opposite end of which is pivotally connected with the arm I22 of hell crank I22. It will thus appear that the rocking motion of shaft I20, imparted thereto as presently described, results in rocking motion of bell crank I22 and up and down movement of detent I20. It will further appear that through the provision of tie link I21 arm I00 and bell 7o crank lever I22 may be adjusted simultaneously along shafts I20 and I20 to adjust detent I 20 laterally in accordance with lateral adjustment of brackets 00, 00 and the parts carried thereby. Such adjustments are made, of course, in accord- 7s 2,226,957 I I S site end of which is pivotally connected with an arm I50 loosely mountedon the shaft I4I.-', Arm

I50'has pivotallyconnected therewith one end-of a spring pressed rod I5'I the opposite end of which 15 is enlarged at I52 and slidably mounted in a guide I 53 that is bolted or otherwise suitably secured on one of the frame members I42 at the innerside thereof. The spring I54 for rod I5I is mounted thereon between a collar I55 and a bracket I 56. 20 The collar I55 is secured on rod I5I in any suitable manner and the bracket I56 is bolted or otherwise suitably secured on the frame member I42 which carries the bracket I53.

The enlarged rear end portion I52 of rod ISI 25 has journalled therein rearwardly of bracket I53 a roller I51. Roller I51 is engaged by a cam operated arm I58 which extends upwardly through a suitable opening I28 (Fig. 2) formed in the I feed board I3 at one side thereof. Arm I58 is 80 fixed on a shaft I59 (Figs.- 2 and'8) which is journalled in a suitable bearing on one .of the frames I4. Shaft I59 also has fixed thereon a v bell crank I60 the arms of which are indicated at I'6I and I62-respective1y. Bell crank arm I6I has 35 journalled thereon a roller I63 engaged with a cam I64 that is fixed on cam shaft 32. Arm I62 has pivotally connected therewith "one end of a spring pressed rod I65 the oppositeend of which is guided in a suitable opening formed in a stud 40 I66 secured to the adjacent frame I4 inany suit-;

able manner. The spring I6-'I.for rod I65 .is

, mounted thereon between the stud I66 and a collar I68 adjustably secured on said rod in any suitable manner.

45 The ope'ra-tionof the side registering mecha nism having been previously described, it is now only necessary to describe the operation of the sheetcalipering or excess sheet detecting mechanism. .These twooper'ations are performed in a 50 substantially simultaneous man'ner,that is, when -the gripper-jaws 6I,.'62 morve inwardly-and jaw 62 is lowered toward jaw 6I to grip the front registered sheet in conjunction therewith, the sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting element II2 --55 is also lowered into its sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting posi-tion'indicated infull lines in Fig. 3 fof the drawings. 'Atthis time the sheet'is at rest against the front stops I6 and extends between element H2 and bar 5I as well as between 60 jaws 6I and 62. Lower ing movement of the sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting element II2 is accomplished through inward movement of plate I with bracket 56 and gripper jaws 6|, 62. Upon such inward movement of plate I00, shoulder I04 thereof strikes pin I05 and swings cam I06 in a counter clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Such counter clockwise movement of cam I06 enables spring I I6 to swing 7 arm I09 clockwise about its pivot H0 and thus lower the sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting element I I2 .to its calipering or detecting position relative to the sheet. Simultaneously with lowering movement of element I I2 to said posi- 75 tion jaws 6|, 62 are closed and move outwardly to bring the sheet sidewise into enga ement with the side registering plate 63.

If, during such sidewise movement of the sheet, there is no additional sheet or sheet thickness present, element II2 will stand stationary in its lower. calipering or excess sheet detecting posi-. tion. In such event, the jaws 6|, 62 will thereafter release the sheet through continued outward movement of bracket 56. During such continued outward movement of bnacket 56 plate I00 has 10 corresponding movement-and shoulder I03 of said plate strikes pin I05 and swings cam I06 clockwise to the full line position thereof indicated in Fig. 5 of the drawings. Such clockwise move-' ment of-cam I06 depresses roller I08 andthe 5 outer end of arm I09 and thusraises the sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting element II2 so that said element as well as the gripper jaws 6 I, 62 assume the full line positions thereof shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. When the sheet has been fed forwardly, front registered,-calipered and side registered as described, and no excess, sheet or sheets have been detected, said sheet is taken by the grippers H of cylinder I8 and car-- ried thereby into the printing press which then printsand delivers the sheet. These operations areperformed in the order named on successive sheets as long as no excess sheet or sheets are detected by the sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting element II2, and normal feeding and printing of the sheets in succession thus proceeds without interruption.

When no excess sheet or sheet thickness is present at .the time of the side registering and the calipering or excess sheet detecting operations, the arcuate shaped abutment I29 stands in the full line position thereof shown in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings and the detent I30 is moved. downwardly and upwardly past said abutment by the connections for said detent with rock shaft 40 I38. Rocking of {shaft I38,- as before "described, is accomplished by reciprocation of rod I5Iwhich, in turn, is effected-by the cam and spring operated lever I58 which is allowed to rock as long as the detent I30 has no obstruction to its downward movement. Rocking of lever I58 is accompanied by rocking of shaft I59. This shaft I59 is connected withv well known mechanism (not shown) which will stop the feeder and trip the printing press in the event rocking movement of 60 shaft I59 is interrupted.

5 Since in the embodiment of the invention herein shown, the sheets are fed in lapped relation, it will be obvious that at certaintimes-there may -be more than a single sheet between the element II2 and the bar 5'I as, for example, when a sheet is being carried into the pressby'gripper's "and a succeeding sheet is approaching thefront stops I6. The timing of the feeder, press, side registering mechanism and sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting mechanism is such, however, that the side registering grippers move inwardly and close and the sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting element is lowered only when one sheet should normally be present for the side registering and the calipering or detecting operations.

Assuming now that two sheetsare fed to stops I6 at a time whennormally one sheet only should be present for the side registering and the calipering or detecting operations. and with -a double thickness between the lowered element 2 and the jaws 6|, 62 said element will, upon sidewise movement of the double sheet thickness imparted thereto by grippers 6|, 62, be rotated clockwise about its pivotal axis III as 75 In this event,

viewed in Fig. 3c! the drawings. Such rotation of element II2 causes the pin I22 thereon to swing bell crank I24 counter clockwise about its pivotal axis I28 and thus swing abutment I29 5 in the same direction into the path of downward movement of detent I39. The abutment I29 may be swung within limits indicated by the full and dotted line positions thereof shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and excess swinging movement of said abutment is prevented by a pin I99 mounted on an extension of lug I21 and adapted to be engaged by the bell crank arm I25.

When the abutment I29 is swung into the path of movement of detent I39 lowering movement of said detent is prevented. Consequently lever I59 cannot actuate rod I'5I and fully rock the shaft I39. Under these conditions roller I63 cannot follow the low part of cam I64 to fully rock shaft I59. Failure of shaft I59 to fully rock results in actuation of the above mentioned feeder stopping and press tripping mechanism (not shown) which is connected with said shaft. Actuation of said mechanism stops the feederand trips the printing press thereby preventing more than one sheet at a time from being fed to and printed by said press. I

Upon stopping of the feeder and tripping of the printing press, the leading and excess sheet or sheets of the stream are removed, whereupon the feeder and the printing press are again started by suitable means for this purpose and the forward feeding, front-registering, sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting, side registering and printing operations proceed normally in connection with successive sheets of the stream.

It will appear from the foregoing that in accordance with the present invention the result or eflect'of the sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting operation is controlled by movement of a 40 sheet sidewise as, for example, to side register it.

If no excess sheet is caliperedl or detected the result or effect of the calipering or detecting operationis to let normal sheet feeding proceed. If an excess sheet or sheets are detected the result 48 or effect of the calipering or detecting operation is to actuate the caliper or detector and thereby stop the feederv and trip or stop the press or other machine fed thereby. In either case. and as above stated, the result or efl'ect of the sheet call- 50 pering or detecting operation is, in accordance with the present invention, controlled by sidewise movement of the sheets.

It will further appear from the foregoing that sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting mechanismfor a sheet feeder may, in accordance with the present invention, be timed and operated directly from the side registering mechanism instead of by separate .cams and elements heretofore employed. This has the advantage of maso terially decreasing the time required to operativeis associate the feeder with a printing press or other machine to be fed thereby and also has the advantage of decreased manufacturing and maintenance costs of the feeder with greater simplicity as of operation thereof.

The present invention has been illustrated and described in detail with reference to one embodiment thereof shown in the accomp yin drawings but it is to beexpressly understood that said 70 invention is not limited to said embodiment or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

What I claim is: a 1. In the feeding and calipering Sheets. the 75 method which comprises moving the sheets laterally of the path in which they are fed to thereby produce the results of the calipering operations.

'2. In calipering forwardly fed sheets, the method of controlling the effect of the calipering op- 5 erations which comprises moving the forwardly fed sheets laterally of their normal path of travel while they are calipered.

3. In the calipering and side registering of sheets, the method which comprises .producing m the results of the calipering operations by performance of the side registering operations.

4. In calipering forwardly fed sheets, stopping and calipering the forwardly fed sheets and controlling the effect of the calipering operations 15 by moving the forwardly fed and stopped sheets laterally of their path of forward movement while they are calipered.

' 5. In a sheet feeder, the combination of means for moving sheets laterally of their normal path 20 of travel, and sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting means controlled by lateral movement of sheets imparted thereto by said first named means.

6. In a sheet feeder, the combination of means 25 for moving sheets laterally and side registering them; and sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting means controlled by lateral movement of sheets imparted thereto when they are moved laterally by said first named means for side rego istration of said sheets.

7. In a sheet feeder, the combination of means for moving sheets laterally oftheir normal path of travel, and movable sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting means arranged for operation by 35 two or more sheets when the same are simultaneousLv fed to and moved laterally by said first named means.

8. In a sheet feeder, the combination of a side register device and means for moving sheets fed to and moved laterally by said sheet moving 45 means toward said side register device.

9. In a sheet feeder, the combination of means for moving sheets laterally of their normal path of movement to side registerthem with respect to a printing press, movable sheet feeder and 5 printing press control means, and movable sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting means controlling the action of said sheet feeder and printing press control means and arranged for opera tion by two or more sheets when the same are 55 simultaneously fed to and moved laterally by said first named means.

10. In combination, means for moving sheets laterally to side register them, movable sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting means, and connections between said means for operating one of the same from the other. v

11. In combination, means for moving sheets iaterally to side register them, movable sheet caliperingor excess sheet detecting means, and 5 means operated by said first named means for imparting movement of said sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting means. f

12. In combination, reciprocating sheet gripping means, reciprocating sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting means. and connections befrom the other.

13. In" combination, laterally reciprocating opening and closing sheet gripping means, ver- 7 tween said'means-for operating one of the same tically movable sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting means, and means controlled by the reciprocating sheet gripping means for movin said sheet calipering orexcess sheetdetecting means upwardly and downwardly in synchronism with the opening and closing actions of said laterally reciprocating sheet gripping means.

14. In combination, laterally reciprocating sheet gripping and releasing means for moving sheets, sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting means adjacent the same and movable at right angles thereto toward and away from the sheets, and means controlled by the reciprocating sheet gripping and releasing means for imparting movement to said sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting means toward and away from the sheets simultaneously with the sheet gripping and releasing actions of said reciprocating sheet gripping and releasing means.

15. In combination, means reciprocating transversely of the direction of feed of sheets for moving the sheets laterally to side register them, a lever pivoted on an axis extending in said direction, a sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting element mounted on said lever, and means controlled by said reciprocating means for rocking said lever and raising and lowering said sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting element.

16. In combination, means reciprocating transversely of the direction of feed of sheets, a cam operated by said means, a lever pivoted on an axis extending in said direction and operated by said cam, and a sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting element mounted on and operated by said lever.

17. In combination, an oscillating lever pivoted on an axis extending in the direction of feed of sheets, a sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting element mounted on said lever for rocking movement thereby and rotation about an axis extending in said direction, reciprocating sheet feeding and printing control means, and pivotally mounted means controlling the action of said sheet feeding and printing control means and controlled by said sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting means through rotation or non-rotation thereof Y 18. In combination, raising and lowering sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting means rotatable about an axis extending in the direction of feed of sheets, raising and lowering sheet feeding and printing control means movable about an axis extending transversely of said direction, and means rotatable through rotation of said sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting means for preventing lowering movement of said sheet feeding and printing control means.

19. In combination, raising and lowering sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting means rotatable about an axis extending in the direction of feed of sheets and normally weight biased against rotation, raising and lowering sheet feeding and printing control means, and weight biased normally inoperative rotatable means associated with the sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting means and rendered operative on rotation thereof to prevent lowering movement of said sheet feeding and printing control means.

20. In combination, an oscillating lever, a sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting element ro tatably mounted on the lever and normally weight biased against rotation, a pin on the sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting element, a raising and lowering sheet feeding and printing control member, and means controlling the action of said sheet feeding and printing control member comprising a pivoted element having an arm engaged with said pin and an arcuate shaped abutment weight biased to a normally inoperative position removed from the path of movement of the sheet feeding and printing control member, rotation of the sheet calipering or excess sheet detecting element moving said abutment into the path of movement of the sheet feeding and printing control member to thereby stop lowering movement thereof.

EDWARD J. YEO.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,226,9 7. December 51, 191w.

EDWARD J. 1E0.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 65 second column, line 67, claim 11, for "of" before "said" read --to--; and that V the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this l-ltheday of February, A. 1). 191m.

Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

